Staying Productive Through Third-Trimester Pregnancy Blues

Pregnancy Blues

I am now in my third trimester of pregnancy and my job at a local school just ended for the school year. I am extremely happy that my job is over, because being this far into the pregnancy is proving to be very difficult. Even normal everyday tasks are becoming more and more difficult. I am calling this period of time my third-trimester pregnancy blues because I am the type of person who feels the need to be productive each and every day, and right now I am having a hard time getting through the grocery store without needing to sit down.

Things You May be Feeling or Dealing With

Now that you have reached your third trimester there are many different thing you may be feeling or dealing with as far as your physical health goes:

Braxton-Hicks ContractionsThough many medical journals, blogs, and websites will tell you about Braxton Hicks contractions as if they are a tickle in your stomach, they can be pretty painful. Braxton Hicks contractions can make it hard to breathe for a couple of seconds, they can make it hard to stay in whatever position you are in, they can even make it painful to walk at times. Basically they are the practice versions of real contractions which means they could eventually turn into real labor.

AnemiaAnemia is when your body has a very low level of hemoglobin, which is a protein, found in your red blood cells that contain iron; which means your body has a low level of iron. Having low amounts of iron could make your baby’s growth rate slow, make you prone to fainting and dizzy spells, and make your more tired.

BackacheThis is one of the worst ones when it comes to trying to combat your physical pains for productivity. You are feeling more backache pains because of the extra weight gain, you may also feel some pains in your pelvis and hips as everything is stretching and loosening.

Weight GainGaining weight is another fascinating, as well as sometimes painful or annoying, part of pregnancy. This extra weight can make it difficult and downright frustrating to move around.

Shortness of BreathWith everything inside you being squished and pushed around by your baby it is no wonder you run out of breath more quickly. Shortness of breath can make it difficult to get around, clean, work, and or be productive.

HeartburnHeartburn, just one more thing you can look forward to in your third trimester of pregnancy. You can try to avoid it by eating smaller meals and keeping away from spicy/fried foods.

SwellingThis will be more of a problem if you are in your third trimester during the summer time; you could have swollen legs, ankles, and feet.

Frequent UrinationTrying to be productive when you need to go to the bathroom every few minutes can be extremely frustrating and make you less inclined to try to start different projects and actually get things accomplished.

Frequent tiredness or exhaustionThis is the one that gets most pregnant women so discouraged about being productive because they get too tired to finish a lot of the things they start.

What Makes You Feel Productive?

Knowing what makes you feel good about your day, what makes you feel accomplished, and or what makes you feel productive about what you are doing. Knowing these things is an important part of knowing how to accomplish those same feelings when you are pregnant and you are not able to do as much. Maybe having a clean house makes you feel accomplished, maybe you work from home and getting a certain amount of work done each day makes you feel productive, or maybe you like doing crafty projects around the house. Whatever it is you like to do that makes you feel good and productive about your day, there are some things you can do that will help you to accomplish some of those things even while in your third trimester.

Tips for Staying Motivated and Productive

So how do we stay productive while we are in our third-trimester waddling around and feeling tired all the time? Though there really is no easy answer, you are still going to feel tired and heavy, there are a few tips I have found to be very helpful during my own pregnancy:

Don’t bite off more than you can chewWhen you are sitting down to think about the things you want to accomplish for the day, try to realize what you can and can’t do. Be aware of the fact that you will not be able to move around as quickly as you used to which means you probably won’t be able to get as much done.

Write down your goals for each day and each weekWriting down your goals for the day and at the beginning of each week write down the things you wish to accomplish by the end of the week. After a couple of days and after a few weeks you should be able to get a better idea of what you can do during that amount of time.

Take the time to restBeing productive could also mean that you know when you should take the time to rest/nap/sleep or sit down. Taking the time to rest will actually give you more energy and motivation to accomplish more things later on.

Ask for helpLet’s face it, you are pregnant, so there will be no better time to get others to do things for you. If you are like me, asking for help with things you used to be able to do on your own is much easier said than done. But learning to ask for help can be one of the best things you can do for your own health and for the sanity of those around you.

Recognize your limitations and be happy with the things you can accomplishThis is probably one of the hardest things to do, but recognizing your limitations is the best step to feeling better about the things you are able to accomplish each day. Instead of being upset because you didn’t accomplish everything on your list for the day or the week, look at all the things you were able to do and try to be happy about them.

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